


The Phone Call Consequence

by ammelockheart



Category: The Big Bang Theory (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cheating, F/M, Romance, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:40:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22982641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ammelockheart/pseuds/ammelockheart
Summary: Takes place season 7 episode 1: Penny and Sheldon call Leonard and find out he's cheating on her. Penny gets upset and shuts herself away. What's Sheldon going to do? Shenny
Relationships: Sheldon Cooper/Penny
Comments: 7
Kudos: 223





	1. Chapter 1

“Penny have you ever wondered why Starfleet captains--.” Sheldon starts.

“No.” I don’t even bother to look at him and stare at the magazine in my hands. I’m not really reading it, but it’s an excuse not to talk to Sheldon.

“Well, now that I’ve peaked your interest. Welcome to the exciting world of 3D chess.”

“Look, why don’t you just admit you only want to play this game because you always play with Leonard and you miss him?” I closed the magazine in slight frustration and stared at him.

“You over estimate his significance in my life.” Sheldon says playing with a chess piece and then sitting it down.

“Mhm” I turn back to my magazine, expecting him to stay silent now but of course after all, he is Sheldon. 

“Do I miss how he makes a face on my toaster waffle with syrup?” He pauses, “…No…” He moves a chess piece on the board again and I just stare at him. “Do I miss the way he fixes the zipper on my jacket when it gets stuck?” another chess piece is moved as he gives one of his gaspy laughs. “I don’t think so.”

I turned back around to my magazine once again, mentally groaning in my head for him to please be quiet already.

_ 1 _

_ 2 _

_ 3 _

_ And here we go again…. _

“Do I miss the way we say goodnight to each other through the walls of our bedrooms using Morse code?” 

I almost jump as he starts knocking on the coffee table loudly with his knuckles. 

“Okay, I get it, I get it; that you’re an emotionless robot.” I didn’t truly believe it but I knew it would pacify him.

“Well,” Sheldon stared off into space as if thinking about something. “I try.” He used his pity me tone.

I tried to resist it but as we all know I’m a sucker for Sheldon’s pitiful acts. “Alright, let’s get this stupid game over with.” I threw the magazine down and turned toward the three layer chess game.

His whole demeanor instantly changed and Sheldon straightened instantly. “Great! I’ll go first.”

I was about to move when he says something else.

“By the way how are you with zippers?” He looks at me seriously.

I try not to blanch. “Why?”

“I really need to go to the bathroom and this zipper has gone all catawampus.” He pulls at it to demonstrate.

_ Please tell me he’s not serious… _

“Can’t you just go change your pants ‘Genius’?” I moved a chess piece. I wasn’t about to help him.

His face scrunched up slightly as if he were considering it. “Meh, I guess that’s not too inconveniencing for me.”

“Oh! Bad move!” Sheldon chastised.

“Really why?” I felt bad that I couldn’t act unhappy. I wanted this to be over. I was really getting bored with ‘3D chess’. I rather play the original version over this one.

“My Queen can now take your rook from below.” Sheldon points at her mistake.

“So, that means I lose right? It’s over!” I tried to smother the excitement in my voice, failing terribly.

Sheldon ignored me and continued his explanation, “If I make this move…. But I won’t, because we’re having too much fun!” He gives me a smile that’s half real and half fake. I’m not sure I’ve seen him smile like that before. It was unnerving.

“Okay, let’s take a break.”  _ I really need a drink right now. I can’t stop worrying that Leonard’s out there cheating on me. Why am I having such a hard time believing in him? _

“We’re all out of alcohol.” Sheldon pipes. 

_ Darn that Whack-a-doodle! _

“I wasn’t going to go get alcohol…”

He gives me a look.

I groan and sink back down into the chair. I can’t win with him.

“I sure wish I knew what Leonard was doing right now. I miss him so much.” I thought out loud. 

“Well if you like, we could call him.” Sheldon grins and then smoothes out his expression and looks away. “Err that I mean that you could call him. As I’ve explained the absence of my friends does not cause me pain.” Here he goes into a rant, “As rock-it-roll bad boy Paul Simon once said, ‘I am a rock, I am an Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisland.”

I tried not to smile at his blubbering. “I’m calling him.”

“OH GOODY! PUT HIM ON SPEAKER PHONE!” Sheldon yelled in excitement.

I tried my best not to jump and laughed. I quickly punch in the number to call him.

The phone rang for a long time and at first I thought he wasn’t going to answer but finally I heard static and then…laughter?

I frowned down at my iphone.

Sheldon leaned in closer to the phone with a confused look.

“Hel--,” Leonard laughs and he sounds drunker than a skunk, “Lo?”

“Leonard, Hi!” I had a horrible, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was definitely wrong.

“Penny,” Leonard exclaimed as if surprised I called him.

“How are you?” I asked.

“What?! Leonard all but yelled causing Sheldon to jerk away from the phone slightly.

“I said, how are you doing?” I yelled back, ignoring Sheldon’s twitching. He never liked yelling.

“Having the best time in my life, ever!” Leonard laughed loudly into the phone.

A sharp pang shot through me. I felt betrayed by his words. I glanced at Sheldon to see his shocked expression that mirrored mine.

I was about to say something back when a female voiced cooed. “Lenny, get back here. I’m not done with you yet.” I heard kissing and then the phone call ended.

I stared at the phone like it was a snake. I was numb…completely numb.

Leonard was having the best time of his life, and he was cheating on me. It was happening all over again. Leonard was Kurt 2.0. 

_ Gosh, Penny. You’re starting to sound like Sheldon. Stop it. _

I stood up quickly, avoiding looking at Sheldon. I couldn’t look at him. I needed to leave before I started crying.

“Penny.” Sheldon started as I dropped my phone onto the floor and fled Apartment 4A.

I raced out of the apartment, slamming the door to Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment and collapsed behind my apartment door.

Then the waterworks began.


	2. Chapter 2

I lay against my apartment door for only a minute before I heard the familiar sound of

**_Knock, knock, knock._ **

“Penny?”

**_Knock, knock, knock._ **

“Penny?” it was softer now.

I groaned against the door, “Please go away, Sheldon.”

_ Wine….I need wine. If I can get drunk everything will be semi-okay, right? _

**_Knock, knock, knock._ **

“Penny?”

“Just go away, Sheldon!” I choked back on a sob.

“Penny, you left your iPhone on the floor. I’m trying to give it back to you. Open the door.”

“No!” I yelled.

Sheldon sighed dramatically and I huffed. I heard shuffling under the door and then saw a slender hand push my phone into my side of the apartment door. “Now Penny, I advise you to clean your cellular device with a Lysol wipe.”

“Thank you.” I managed through the door. I tried to keep my voice from cracking but I failed miserably.

It was a good thing Sheldon didn’t seem to understand emotions well. He most likely didn’t even realize I was upset.

“I’m going to go disinfect myself. There’s no telling how many bacteria and what else are breeding in this hallway carpet.”

Through my tears I couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous he is. 

I heard him walk away and sighed to myself as I picked up my Iphone and stared at it.

3 missed calls, and all from Leonard. I wasn’t about to call him back. 

_ Who does he think he is? How could he do this to me? _

“Enough of this.” I slung my phone across the floor and got up swiftly. Without even a thought I marched to my kitchen cabinet and yanked a bottle of vodka out. It wasn’t wine but it would get me drunk.

I didn’t want to think about Leonard, and that stupid female voice, or the fact that he had hung up on me.

He said he loved me. He said he wanted to marry me more than once. He called me beautiful. So why was he cheating on me?

I didn’t see Leonard as a player; but he was just that.

I choked on another sob as I uncorked the vodka, and drank straight from the bottle. A third of it was gone in one gulp. I free fell into the couch.

Who needed Leonard? Not me...I was….just fine without him…

Hot tears burned my eyes as I chugged at the vodka again.

Why has every relationship I ever have gotten into ended so badly? It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t always me who screwed up.

I know I’ve been known to sleep with a lot of ‘strange’ guys. More than I like to admit. That hasn’t happened in probably more than 3 years, though. I’m not proud of my behavior for sure. I don’t even know what was wrong with me. I actually dated a few guys, including Leonard. The latter being the one I dated the longest and thought I might even marry. Seems as though I was proved wrong.

I shouldn’t have trusted Leonard so much. The ones I trust the most are the ones that fail the worst. 

_ Oh wow, that rhymed Penny. You should be writing poems. Ah he he! _

I was getting downright drunk and I could feel the effects.

I took another swig and laughed as I thought of Leonard’s funny looking glasses. I imagined him as Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory and laughed harder.

“Leonard, Leonard, Leonard. What a stupid name.”

I barely heard Sheldon knocking and calling my name. It sounded urgent but I could care less. “Go away, Whack-a-doodle!” I let out a strangled giggle. 

The tears were coming down hard as I continued to laugh. I dropped the empty vodka bottle to the floor and watched it as it rolled away from the couch.

“Penny! Open up this door this instant!” Sheldon rattled on the doorknob continually. “PENNY!”

The sound was beginning to grate on my nerves and I had the urge to throw the plate that was lying on the coffee table at the offending sound. I hadn’t put it in the sink last night. 

“Ha!” I threw the plate at the door. The shattering had the desired sound with the satisfaction of Sheldon’s yelp.

“Penny, are you alright?”

I lay back on the couch and stared at the spinning ceiling. Leonard can go get sunk by an iceberg. I was just fine without him. Just fine, fine, fine!

“PENNY?!” Sheldon yelled in frustration.

I felt numb. At least numb was better than feeling pain.

“Penny I’m coming in!” I heard pattering of feet and then nothing.

Maybe that noisy Shelbot gave up.

_ I want another drink. I have to get up to get it. I don’t know if I want to….Oh what the heck. _

I rose up slowly, watching as everything went sideways and I almost tumbled. I giggled hysterically. This was fun.

I stumbled across the apartment to the kitchen. I nearly fell when I reached into my drink cabinet. My hand immediately found the schnapps.

There was creaking at the apartment door and then a click. “Finally!” It was Sheldon of course.

I popped the cork on my drink and took a swig while turning to see Sheldon holding a screwdriver. Is that how he opened my door…

“Sheldon look!” I giggled and held up my bottle, “schnapps!”

“Oh, good lord, Penny! You are drunk!” Sheldon gasped, looking as if he wanted to bolt on the spot.

“Yeah, I know. Ain’t it fun?” I swayed on my feet. I knew in the back of my mind I should be sitting down, but the couch seemed so far away from where I stood.

“It’s isn’t,” Sheldon chided.

“Schnapps, schnapps, schnapps. It’s so fun to say. Say it!” I tried to walk toward him.

First the schnapps fell out of my hand and to the floor with a crash, and then I found myself slipping in slow motion to the ground. I felt pain shoot through my foot, but I was so drunk it didn’t register what was going on.

I started crying.

Sheldon panicked, “You’re bleeding!”


	3. Chapter 3

“Penny, you’re bleeding everywhere!” Sheldon began hyperventilating. I barely heard him before everything went black….

My head felt like lead when I woke up and it was pounding harder than I ever remember it before, in the history of hangovers.

In fact my whole body felt heavy.

How on earth did I even end up on my bed? The last I remember I passed out in a floor of glass.

Sheldon….

How had he managed to get me here? He hardly had any muscles to lift anything.

“Penny! You’re awake!”

“Aghh!” a resounding thump sounded on the floor as I tumbled out of bed in a panic.

“Oh my!” Sheldon tssked. “No need to get so excited.”

“What the heck, Sheldon?! You know better than to scare me like that!” I yelled while scrambling to my feet. I instantly hissed as my left foot started stinging. I looked down at it and saw the bandage. It was bandaged so neatly I knew I didn’t do it. I wouldn’t remember if I had anyway but I’m never neat as that.

“Careful, you have a rather nasty cut on the bottom of your foot.” Sheldon stood in the doorway of my bedroom.

I glared at him and hobbled into the living room to sit on the couch. He followed along like a puppy dog then sat down in his spot (the chair).

I groaned as my foot throbbed as well as my head. I was feeling really nauseated.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?” he asked, shifting in the chair as if he were uncomfortable. He probably wanted to go back to his apartment. Had he been here all night long?

“Yes, thank you.” I leaned back into the pillows, stomach churning from all the vodka. I looked around the room and realized everything was clean and spotless. Sheldon must’ve cleaned everything when I passed out. There was no sign of broken glass anywhere.

Sheldon gave me the perfect cup of coffee after I sat up. He made it better than I could.

I hid a smile as Sheldon sat back down. I was starting to feel very grateful and happy to have Sheldon here. It was a really weird feeling. I usually can’t wait until he leaves because he gets on my nerves so bad. Right now he was being so sweet and un-Sheldon-like and yet very Sheldony. This is the soft side of Sheldon Cooper; the side of him that has let his emotional guard down. I really like this side and hopes he stays this way a little while longer. 

_ Are you crazy? _

I was halfway through my cup of coffee when my stomach decided it was time to hurl. It took me two seconds to hop to the bathroom. Note to self: If I ever mentioned I hopped to the bathroom in two seconds to Sheldon, he would start explaining how impossible it is. Of course it’s an expression. He wouldn’t understand.

I puked my guts out into the toilet. By the time I was done I was practically lying on the toilet bowl.

“That is highly unsanitary. You need to take a shower now.” Sheldon said as he came to see if I was still alive after all the noise I was making.

“No.” I grumbled as a dizzy wave hit me. I couldn’t do anything but lay on the bathroom floor I was so sick and weak to my stomach. That’s it, no more heavy drinking ever.

“Now Penny, if you don’t get in that shower I’m going to be forced to get my rubber gloves and put you in myself.” He sounded determined but I wasn’t taking him serious. This was Sheldon, he wouldn’t wash me in the shower. It was laughable to even think about it; between his germ phobia, and not wanting to touch people. Not to mention he’d see me nude. He wouldn’t risk it. No way.

I was actually starting to feel better now but I just had to do it to see what his reaction would be. 

“No!”

“Very well.”

“Sheldon!” I squealed as he grabbed me up out of the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

I yelped as cold water sprayed across my face. Could Sheldon not even temperate the water before he tossed me in? The puke washed my clothes leaving them slimy.

“Sheldon!”

He didn’t answer me as he found my rubber glove supply. He made a show of slipping them over his hands, making them pop. I had the urge to roll my eyes at him. Could he not be so dramatic? It was like he was enjoying my misery. He lathered shampoo over my head until it started running down my face and in my eyes. I desperately tried to rub the suds away before my eyes began burning with a vengeance.

“Sheldon, really—“ I started but was cut off as he tilted my head back to rinse my hair. I nearly slipped even with the rubber duckies decorating the shower floor. Sheldon grabbed me with one arm while the other continued to rub my head until I thought he was going to rub all of my hair clean off. He that look of concentration on his face; almost the same one he had when he was trying to solve a problem he didn’t know quite what to do with.

When he done he paused, probably trying to figure out how to wash me with my clothes on. “Penny, I think you have to take over now.” A hint of red was starting to creep up his neck and he peeled his rubber gloves off and pulled the shower curtain closed. There was shuffling and a cabinet door clicking. “I laid you out a towel.” The door then clicked.

_What the hell just happened here?_


	5. Chapter 5

Wrapping the fluffy towel around my now sober body I have to admit, but never to Sheldon, that him tossing me in the shower made me feel much better.

Opening the bathroom door I nearly shriek in my surprise at finding Sheldon against the right side of the door. He jumps when I jump. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I scared him more than he scared me… almost. If he wasn't Sheldon, I would have thrown something at him for such a stalker-ish action.

"Sheldon!"

"Oh good, you're back. Do you feel better? I hope you didn't get your bandage wet. Would you like a h-" he turned five shades of red when he realized I'm only wearing the towel from the bathroom. It served him right since he didn't even let me grab my clothes first. "—ot b—beverage?" he finished.

"No thanks. I think I just need sleep." Now that I was sober again, the phone call kept replaying back in my mind. I felt like getting drunk all over again, but I couldn't do it with Sheldon hovering over me.

Ugh… I collapse on my bed, towel and all, too exhausted to get dressed right now.

Sheldon stood outside my doorway with his back turned, refusing to leave.

"You should go back to your apartment, Sheldon. I'll be fine after I get some sleep. I promise." I pull the coverlet over so he'll finally turn back to look at me. When he does, I can tell he doesn't believe me.

"If you insist…" Sheldon sighs, shuffling away.

I wait for the door to click before I spring back up and throw off the wet towel. He doesn't have to know I'm getting drunk all over again. So grabbing the first set of clothes my fingers touch, I make my way to the kitchen in slow motion because of my foot.

I should take heed that I was sick not even an hour ago but at that moment I couldn't care less. All I want is the pain to go away.

Reaching into the high cabinet where my last bottle of alcohol sits. A groan escaped me as I put too much weight on my injury.

"Penny!" an infuriated Sheldon is standing right behind me. The reprimand has me snatching my hand away as if I'd been slapped.

I whip around, my whole body trembling and I'm not really sure of the reason. "Sheldon! I thought you went home." I said, turning around to stare at him.

Snorting uncharacteristically, he glared, "I can't go home when I know you're planning to be unreasonable, Penny. The moment I go home, you're going into self-destruct mode."

How right could he be… ?These are my thoughts but all I can do is glare back.

"Now Penny, go to your room." Sheldon pointed in the general direction. Making me feel like a naughty child, I can do nothing but obey him. I drag myself back to bed and cover back up.

I know Sheldon is guarding the outside so I don't bother to get back up again. Now that I'm really alone again the tears come back full force.

_ Leonard is a cheater… how could he do this? Did he ever really love me or was it all a lie? _ I knew the truth by the phone call that it was exactly how it sounded.

Closing my eyes with a sigh, I knew there was nothing I could do.

_ Give up, Penny. No one will ever love you. Face it. _

I felt myself break into and I pressed my face into my pillow, trying to suppress my sobs that I could hold in no longer.

After a while, I quit trying to muffle it because no matter how much I tried, the louder I was, and I had even more tears. Serves Sheldon right for staying, maybe he'll run back home now. He hates tears…

The door creaks open and at first I think nothing of it until I feel someone patting my head rather awkward.

"Sheldon?"  _ What's he doing? _

"Sshh Penny," he scolded me. I shut my mouth and let him pet my head as if I were a cat. The action is weird but calming and soon my tears dry up.

I close my eyes at last.


	6. Chapter 6

I wake with a jerk. It’s still night-time but I’m wide awake. There’s no way I can go back to sleep now. I won’t mention how much my head hurts.

There’s a blanket wrapped around me like a burrito and I wiggle out to escape the confines of my bed. Finding myself unbearably thirsty, I tiptoe out of my room toward the kitchen. This time it isn’t for alcohol and that’s legitly the truth. (Yes, I know legitly isn’t a real world. Do you think I care?)

Pulling a water bottle from the fridge I open it and chug the thing down. The liquid feels wonderful after having such a dry mouth.

Stepping out of the kitchen, I’m just about to head back to my bedroom when I notice Sheldon laid out across my sofa. Blanket falling hazardously from his lean form.

I’m so shocked the bottle almost slides from my grasp. What’s he still doing here? I was for sure certain he’d be back in his apartment. There isn’t a thing keeping him here.

I will admit, the thought of having someone here even if it’s Sheldon is comforting. I don’t trust myself not to self-destruct if I’m alone. I sit my bottle on the table and go into the living room to fix the blanket that’s about to hit the floor.

I reach for it to pull back over Sheldon. I never expected what happened next.

Sheldon’s hand reaches for me before I can even grab the blanket.

“Aaee!” a shriek comes out of me before I can stop it; falling onto the sofa. The top half of me is being held up by Sheldon. My knees sitting on the floor. “What the--?!” his grip on me is not relenting, and he’s not waking up by all my shrieking. I’m stuck for as long as he’s asleep unless I can wiggle out. Preferably before he wakes up and freaks out all on his own. Then we’ll both be mortified beyond repair.

Sheldon will blame the entire thing on me… germs and all. That would be so unfair, but that’s how it always works. Regardless of fair.

Twisting my arm I try to pull out of Sheldon’s grip and I might well have been yanking on an anchor. My arm isn’t going anywhere soon. Huffing, I try one more time and nearly pull us both off the sofa. This is where I stop trying to get away.

There’s no choice but to wait for him to wake up. I hope he wakes up soon for the sake of my poor arm. If the boy pulls any harder, the limb will pop right off.

“Ow…”

…͌

“Penny… Penny!” Someone is yelling right in my ears and poking my cheek.

“Leave me alone…” let me enjoy my wonderful pillow. Why won’t you let me enjoy it? What in the world is—

“Sh—Sheldon?!” my eyes fly open in shock as my pillow breathes. Oh my gosh, my head is on Sheldon’s chest— I topple away from the sofa in a blind panic, landing flat on my bottom. My knees protest in disuse. I can’t keep the pained groan from escaping my lips.

The icy glare that stabs me has me flinching away from the culprit and reason of my troubles. “How could you, Penny?” that scandalized voice berates me over my head. I feel like a scolded child. Guilt eats away at me as does confusion. This was not my fault, it’s totally Sheldon’s!

“Now listen here, you!”

His eyes widen into saucers at my loud voice. I didn’t mean to sound so mean. Sheldon has gone from scolding father to cowering little boy in a mere three seconds. (No, don’t do the math. Sheldon would definitely correct me on this.)

Sheldon’s face screws up. “I have a hypothesis,” those cheeks turn an interesting shade of pink.

I wait for this h—hypothy… siz, wondering if he’ll guess it right. I somehow doubt it.

“I thought you were… my pillow.”

That’s not at all what I expected him to say of all things considered. Maybe Sheldon is less intelligent in the morning?

I close the mouth I know is falling slack. “Sure Sheldon. As long as you know I’m not the one at fault here.”

“Your fault for getting too close. Especially while I’m sleeping. Honestly, for shame Penny!” he crosses his arms.

“The blanket was slipping to the floor. What was I supposed to do?” this argument could go on for hours and never stop.

Sheldon gasps, picking the edge of the contaminated object and flicking it to the floor with disdain.

Oops, shouldn’t have mentioned it. Bad move Penny. Sighing, I scramble off the living room floor.

“Well, I won’t be staying over here again if you keep infesting your germs all over me. First it was--” He never gets to finish his tirade.

The phone rings at the same time my door is pounded on.

Sheldon springs up faster than I’ve ever seen him move, saying only three words but it was enough. “Leonard is here.”

No. No. No. The whole phone conversation plays in my head as dizziness claws its way into my overwhelmed body. Not him. Anyone but him…


	7. Chapter 7

Frozen, I don’t make a move to get my phone or answer the door.  In truth, I don’t know what I will do. Neither option is pleasant. I  find myself meeting Sheldon’s eyes. His eyes meet mine for a split second but unlike me, he’s much calmer and collected. Before I can stop him, he strides toward the door to answer the knocking.

“Shel--!” My heart does a nosedive when Leonard  is revealed from the other side. My ex boyfriend does a double take between Sheldon and I, trying to figure out why we’re here together at the crack of dawn.

Leonard’s eyes dart between us and rest on the sofa where the throw is still lying  haplessly  on the floor. When they find mine once more they’re filled with such ice I take a step back. I have nothing to be ashamed of. I know this so when he stares at me with  accusation I get angry. Why would he even think I would do something with Sheldon of all people? Doesn’t he know the both of us better than that?

“So is this how it is then?” Leonard’s voice is flat and void of emotion, defying the angry expression flickering across his face. “I make one mistake and come home to apologize.” his eyes come between us.

“Excuse me?” I can’t help my outburst. It just comes right out before I can clamp my mouth shut. Now Leonard and Sheldon are staring at me.  _ Great… just great. _

Sheldon clears his throat, “Penny was trying to self harm. Somebody has to watch over her when she’s depressed. I didn’t see you here since you  are the cause of her grief.” the bite in his tone was shocking. Even Leonard seemed taken aback. I watched his eyes grow big from behind his glasses.

“I didn’t think--”

“That’s right,” Sheldon interrupts Leonard, taking a step closer to him. He’s pointing his finger. “You didn’t think about anyone but yourself.”

Leonard takes a step back, more unnerved by Sheldon’s actions than his words. I’m also wondering where this backbone came from.

No one has ever taken up for me like this and it’s making me feel strange things I should never feel. I’m confused even more because the tingling sensation is being caused by Sheldon. Doesn’t he realize he’s risking his friendship over me?

Leonard snaps out of his daze, a glare replacing his gaping stare. “You’re accusing me of cheating? What do you think Amy would think of your cozying up to my girlfriend?”

Sheldon scowled but before he could say another word, Leonard turned away to stomp out of my apartment. Slamming the door so hard it rattled.  Effectively rattling me too.


	8. Chapter 8

We stand there as the door across the hall echoes a slam.

“Ugh,” I groan, not even bothering to find the sofa first before I sink to the floor in a heap.

Sheldon looks down at me. “That is  highly  unsanitary. You should at least put a blanket down first.”

“Be quiet, Sheldon.” I give him a glare. It doesn’t faze him and he continues to prattle on about some science- cy evidence. I lose him on his rampage; lost in my own thoughts.

Why would Leonard even assume I was cheating on him with Sheldon? This was downright crazy. Sheldon wasn’t the cheating type, even if he had a girlfriend.

Just last week, Amy told me that there wasn’t anything between them even if she wanted there to be. Sheldon’s head and heart were absent in her presence. But what did that mean exactly ?

Now that Sheldon  was finished berating me over sitting on the floor, he looked  a bit  puzzled. “Why did Leonard mention Amy’s name?” he sounded  completely  befuddled.  Usually  I would laugh at his cluelessness but right then my emotions were much too haywire so I  simply  shake my head at him.

“Hmm,” Sheldon hums. He sinks down on his side of my sofa. Puzzlement turning into bewilderment. His eyebrows doing weird things.

Tired of being slumped across the floor, I scramble up to sit beside him. I bend down to pick up the throw at our feet, throwing it in a ball between us.

Sheldon jerks away as if a snake is trying to bite him, giving me the biggest stink eye I’ve ever seen. He’s pressed himself as close as he can against the sofa arm, keeping himself away from the contaminated fabric.

I fight an eye roll, forgetting myself for a moment.  I fling the offensive fabric across me, hoping this will satisfy the little germaphobe.  I guessed wrong at the enraged gasp.

“PENNY!”

I sling that throw so fast it lands over the top of a nearby floor lamp.  I ’m not even certain of my reason except a strange reflex from being yelled at.  I ’ll be honest, like Sheldon, I don’t enjoy being yelled at either. “Whoops.” The unintelligent word flies from my mouth before I can stop it. Here I go sounding like a dumb blonde again. Just once I’d like to sound intelligent. Just once is all I’ve ever asked. I always stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe if I wasn’t such a dumb blonde, I wouldn’t have  been cheated on to begin with.

“Please remove the throw from the lamp before it burns the apartment down!” The big voice from a moment ago  is released by a little boy’s.

I stare at Sheldon. “ Really  Sheldon? The lamp isn’t even on.”

“It will be, Penny.” Sheldon states in horror. Puppy eyes hit me. “Please Penny.

I can already feel myself turning into a mound of goo. Stop it with the puppy eyes. I  unwillingly  comply and remove the throw and even go to toss it in the dirty clothes basket.

“Wash your hands!” I hear Sheldon call out or maybe I only imagined it because it’s something he’d say. I come back with my hands squeaky clean.

Sheldon is sitting with an awful scowl on his face. Before I can ask what’s wrong, he points at my phone on the sofa arm. I  have a sinking suspicion of what I’ll find when I pick it up.

A missed call and text from ‘yours truly ’. Doesn’t Leonard know I don’t want to talk to him?  **Please call, we need to talk. I can explain.**

How can you explain cheating on your girlfriend? You can’t!

I chunk my phone on the sofa and step away, feeling tears prick my eyes again. “Screw it all!” I don’t realize I screamed until I feel the air move.

“Penny, screaming doesn’t help a thing.” He’s beside me.

“Yes, it does.” A sob catches in my throat and I feel myself unraveling all over again.

_ No... no… no! _

__ “No Penny.” Sheldon’s voice is soothing. Different from usual. I feel like I’ve seen  a great  many sides.

A strange fluttering begins in my stomach, working its way to my chest.

Sheldon pulls a kleenex from his pocket, claiming it to be clean. The moment he touches my face to wipe my tear tracks, my heart is pounding.  I ’m not supposed to feel these things.

I ’m so confused…

I stare up at Sheldon. My tears freezing with my shock. The same shocked look stares back at me. Something passes between us. A fizzle… a spark. No, it’s not what they claim in movies and books. It’s something deeper.

All at once I realize I’m closer to Sheldon than a moment ago. What’s happening?

Still holding the kleenex, Sheldon doesn’t move a muscle. I’m  beginning to think we’re two cats having a staring contest.

I’ll never know who moved first, but I’m aware of the moment Sheldon’s lips touch mine. The most innocent and chaste of kisses, but it was the most meaningful.

We stood there for a good five seconds before leaping away as fast as we can. For once  Sheldon was lost for words. I was half expecting a hygiene lesson. None came, just an unnerving stare. The kind that has no blink.

_ Umm… _

I turn away and  fully  intend on hiding myself away, but Sheldon beats me to it. My apartment door shuts with finality and I’m left alone with nothing but my thoughts again. I’ll be lucky if Sheldon ever comes back here again.

_ Oh dear, what have I done this time? _

I fall onto the sofa, burying my head into the nearest pillow and scream. I have no intention of moving  anytime  soon.


	9. Chapter 9

I don’t move from the sofa, still in a state of shock. I wonder what is happening in the apartment beside me.

My phone chirps beside me and I look down.

**_Amy:_** **_Are you okay?_**

**** I sit up quickly, Oh gosh, Amy. How am I supposed to tell her I kissed Sheldon? Even if they weren’t together, she’d had a crush on him for a while now. I stare at my phone; conflicted feelings are welling up inside me. I should tell her. She deserves to know, right? I sigh.

**_Penny: Leonard and I had a fight. He came storming in my apartment and found me and Sheldon. He thought I was cheating on him with his best friend because he saw him here but he only came over to make sure I was okay…_ **

**_Amy: Did something happen between you and Sheldon?_ **

**_Penny: …._ **

**_Amy: You can tell me anything you know, right?_ **

**** I pause, but I know there’s no going back and I have to tell her.

**_Penny: We kissed and Sheldon ran out. I’m sorry Amy._ **

**_Amy: What is there to be sorry for, Penny? We aren’t dating. He’s never had eyes for me._ **

**_Penny: What do you mean doesn’t have eyes for you?_ **

**_Amy: Penny, you might not see it but I think Sheldon secretly has feelings for you._ **

**_Penny: WHATT???!_ **

**** The phone drops out of my hand and I blink. I pick it back up to read Amy’s text again. Nope, I didn’t misread. It’s all still there. Sheldon likes me and Amy said they’re not together. I think my brain might explode… perhaps my heart.

**_Amy: If you like Sheldon, you have my blessing. I haven’t told you this but this isn’t the first time Leonard has ever cheated on you. I saw him before he left talking to some hot girl at a store. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to tell you without hurting you but it looks like now is the time._ **

**_Penny: I had a feeling._ ** __ And I did have a feeling. There’s been a niggling in my stomach for months, I just kept ignoring it. Over and over again.

**_Amy: You should have a talk with both of them._ **

**_Penny: Thank you, Amy. I will let you know how things go._ **

**** I stand up, looking down at my clothes. Before I talk to anyone I must take a shower. My foot still hurts but with everything going on I almost forgot. I should keep it clean.

I walk purposefully to the shower. I just know everything has to come out alright.


	10. Chapter 10

I step out of my apartment, freshly showered with unwrinkled clothes.I think I look more confident than I feel but I have to do this. No matter how much I want to lock myself in my bedroom and pretend I don’t have any worries and don't have two men in the opposite apartment not getting along because of me.

I freeze in front of the door, fighting myself from turning around. Just as I raise my hand to knock on the door it flies open and I tumble into the threshold right into somebody’s arms. “Kyahh!”

**Thud.**

I slam on top of my unsuspecting new pillow, hitting the floor with a thump. Gasping, I roll away before looking up at Leonard who is glaring at me with annoyance. He wheezes as if a bag of sand landed on him.  _ How insulting! _ I resist the urge to slap him. Instead, I stand up and brush off my white capris with a sharp glare.

“What are you doing here?” Leonard’s tone is snippy and guarded.

“I came to talk.” I brush past him into the living room, eyes darting to different corners of the apartment to catch sight of Sheldon. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t bunkered down in his room under a blanket right about now.

He must have heard me come inside. If he really wants to see me he’ll come out of his hermit shell.

Leonard shuffles in behind me and sits down across from me on the sofa. He eyes me with disdain as if I were the one cheating me instead of it being the other way around. The irony.

I keep my eyes on the wall beside his right ear, mentally counting the seconds for Sheldon to appear across the hall. When he doesn’t, I frown, kneading a nearby pillow in my hands, becoming acutely aware how much alone I am with Leonard right about now. The awkward vibes just spiked a little higher. I clear my throat, finally sliding my gaze over my ex boyfriend. His glare hasn’t softened in the last few minutes.

“If you’re wondering where Sheldon is; he’s locked himself in his room and can’t hear a thing with his blaring headphones. Such odd behavior if you ask me. What did you do to him?”

“I—” I throw the pillow at Leonard, “did nothing to Sheldon! What makes you think I did something?” If looks could kill…

“There’s no other explanation for it.” Leonard says so matter-of-factly it takes everything in me not to throw something a little harder than a pillow at him. “Talk goes around, Penny. You’re not as innocent as you want us all to believe.”

I gape at him. Anything I had else to say fled with those venomous accusing words.

A nearby door slams and both of us turn to stare. Sheldon stands there with a worried and unsettled expression. He’s heard Leonard talk down at me. I don’t expect him to take up for me. He never stays around when there’s a fight but there’s a part of me that longs for him too. After all, he kissed me. This whole situation is his fault. He came to me. So I wonder if he’ll be a man and take up for me? I catch his gaze for a few seconds.

I expect him to shy away from my gaze but he doesn’t, not at first. His expression is apologetic. When he looks away, he levels an icy glare on Leonard. 

Leonard stares at him in discomfort. I have to admit, Sheldon’s angry look is a little scary. I’m glad I’m not on the wrong end of it but unfortunately Leonard is.

I step away as Sheldon takes a few steps toward his best friend and my ex boyfriend. “Don’t talk down to Penny, Leonard. I tolerate many things because of you but never that.”

“This has nothing to do with you.” Leonard brushes off his words, turning back toward me or trying too. I’ve stepped several steps away from him while he wasn’t looking. Finally he finds me situated on the opposite side of him and Sheldon.

“I have everything to do with this pickle.” Sheldon drags his focus back, and Leonard looks back at him in bewilderment.

“Say what?”

Sheldon crosses his arms, and I turn my face to keep from giggling. Their faces are... priceless.

“I said, Penny did nothing to me. It’s what I did to Penny.” Sheldon’s cheeks turned an unbecoming shade of red. Is he going to clam up now?

I cross my fingers behind my back.

“What did you do to her?” Leonard asks in a wary tone. He looks between Sheldon and I. Suspicion brimming in eyes.

And then to my utter disappointment, Sheldon becomes tongue-tied. Eyes widening under both of our stares.  _ Oh Sheldon, I had such faith in you. Tssk.  _ Any minute the turtle would return to his shell. My knight in shining armor no more. It looks like I’ll have to take it from here.

I clear my throat, turning toward Leonard. Sheldon is about to go on flight. I take a step toward him, close enough to grab his arm to keep him from bolting. He gives a little gasp of outrage when he can’t escape. Nabbed him.

“Sheldon kissed me.” I watch Leonard’s priceless expression. He steps away in shock. He gives a tinylaugh. “There must be some mistake..” A chuckle, “That would never happen. Him?” There goes the full belly laugh. Such self denial at its best. One would think he cared about me.

I stare at him, waiting for him to quit laughing. My stares turns into a full-blown glare. “I really don't know why you're laughing.”

Deadly silence follows, suffocating the already awkward air.

“You’re serious?” Leonard’s gape is aimed toward Sheldon. Unable to run away, Sheldon has no choice but to respond.

“Affirmative.” He locks Leonard into a stare. I feel like I’m trapped between a cat fight. You know how some cats do this weird sideways dance. That’s Sheldon. Leonard is the one with his paw raised; head reared back.  _ Oh boy… Can I like, take a raincheck? I really don’t want a front-row seat —  _

__ “Penny?” Leonard asks. I feel like a child being scolded. 

I jerk. “Mmm. Yes?” My hand slips from Sheldon’s arm but he doesn’t make any signs of running.

“How could you do such a thing?” his tone is condescending and I stare at him, my annoyance flaring like an oncoming firework. Did he really just ask me that? After he — the one on the boat with a bunch of girls—cheated on me. Of all the — 

“You don’t get to talk to me like that, Leonard.” I poke him in the chest, trying to force him a few steps back. It’s not working.

“You—” his oncoming sentence shuts off as an arm comes between us. Sheldon steps in the middle, forcing Leonard away from me.

“Argument concluded. You cheated. Penny was falling apart because of your cheating. It forced me to glue her back together. You—” This time, Sheldon jabs Leonard in the chest. “--said you wanted to break up so here we are.” The turtle has turned into a lion.

I force my mouth closed when I realize I’m slack jawed.

“Hey buddy.” Leonard soothes.

“Don’t you hey buddy me, Leonard.” Sheldon rebukes. “You abandoned her.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t give cause to kiss someone.” Leonard is right but I’m not about to agree. I have an inkling I already know.

Sheldon twitches and I’m sure he will clam back up but bless him. He levels his gaze on Leonard’s shocked face. “I have feelings for Penny.”

“What?!” Leonard all but sputters. He drags his shocked eyes to gape at me and then back. “You don’t even know what feelings are.” 

Sheldon could be dense at times and was not the most expressional person but deeming him as someone without feelings was downright cruel and not to mention rude.

“I admit it took a lot of self diagnosis and even Amy’s but I finally figured out that I have a strong attraction toward Penny. Some might call it love or a strong liking.” He meets my eyes, and I stare back in amazement.

Leonard shakes his head. “No. I can’t do this anymore. Ugh. I need some air.” He pushes past us and slams the apartment door, leaving Sheldon and I in complete silence.

I look back to Sheldon and smile. “You’re in love with me are you?” I move closer, and he takes a step back like a cornered rabbit. Looks like he’s converted back to his regular self. But to be honest I wouldn’t like him any other way.

Sheldon doesn’t answer my bold question, watching me step closer. I expected him to duck under my arm and hightail it back to his room but he stays put, waiting for me to finish what I have to say.

I give a little laugh at the absurdity of the last two days. “As crazy as it sounds, Sheldon. I have feelings for you too.”


End file.
